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BeyondBlue Hello! Read this if you're not sure how to get started
  • replies: 0

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for ... View more

Welcome This section of the Beyond Blue Forums is for talking about our experiences with depression. There are lots of chats about how it makes us feel, what it’s like to live with depression and what has worked to help in these times. Thank you for coming this far, we know it can be really hard to take these steps if depression is in your life - we see you and think this is a great step. To get the most out of this space we have a few tips: Get involved. The Forums work best for you when you get active and post where you can. Now, we know that can be really hard, especially when you are experiencing depression. So, if you can post something supportive to someone else here, that would be an incredible start. Speak from the heart. This community wants to know how YOU feel and what has worked for YOU. We trust that you have something unique to say and we can’t wait to hear it. Check in. Lots of the discussions in this section of the Forums have been going for years and they are some of the richest conversations we have. Keep checking in to get new ideas and offer your support. We know it can be tough to start, but when you are ready we want to hear your thoughts. If you need some time to get to know the community, that's okay! Have a look around and see where you want to get involved. Thank you for being here! Beyond Blue

Jeriava How do I talk to my doctor?
  • replies: 9

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really ... View more

I’ve been struggling with my life for the past 7-8 years but I finally made an appointment with a doctor. I feel really scared though because I don’t ever go to the doctor for anything, and I havent seen this doctor for so many years that I’m really scared that they’ll judge me or won’t believe anything I say. I’m really anti social so I feel like I won’t be able to say what I wanna say or I’ll say the wrong thing causing them to just dismiss me and move me along without helping. I’m just tired of feeling alone, depressed and just worthless but I’m really scared to talk to them.

AGrace SELF HELP TIPS FOR MANAGING DEPRESSION
  • replies: 132

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the ... View more

Hi Everyone, Here are some ideas you might like to try for managing symptoms of depression. Of course everyone's different, so let us know what works for you, and please feel free to add to the list... Mindfulness – through breathing or engaging the 5 senses Distress Tolerance – Accepting Emotions and Self Soothing Distraction – Put the thoughts/feelings aside and come back to them when you are ready to deal with them Positive Affirmations – Have some affirmations written down repeat them to yourself daily Sleep/Exercise/Diet – All 3 aspects of our lifestyle can impact the way we think/feel Increasing Pleasurable Activities – Engage in at least one pleasurable activity per day

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cherries04 So many things going wrong I don't even know what forum to post this thread to
  • replies: 1

Vent post whilst awaiting new mental health plan from GP. Forgive my how scattered and random it may be. Just diagnosed with Lupus After 5 years of dealing with pain and fatigue I found myself bedridden, unable to care for my 5 month baby or 9 yo sev... View more

Vent post whilst awaiting new mental health plan from GP. Forgive my how scattered and random it may be. Just diagnosed with Lupus After 5 years of dealing with pain and fatigue I found myself bedridden, unable to care for my 5 month baby or 9 yo severely autistic son. 5 years ago I had abnormal bloods and was advised to see a rheumatologist because of the joint pain but I put that on hold due to going through a divorce as well as my then 4 year old son being diagnosed with severe autism at the same time. I put my health on the back burner and now it is all catching up to me. On plaquenil and prednisolone but they aren't doing much. I have always been able to white-knuckle it through the pain and just get on with it but lately the fatigue has me in bed any chance I get. I am halfway through my Computer Science degree at uni and can't fathom going back in this state, I struggle enough to do basic self-care tasks and look after my children. I also have "lupus fog". My brain just doesn't work properly anymore. I don't know how I am going to write code at uni or type with how stiff and sore I am should I even find the energy to return. Homeschooling my autistic son This has been so hard. Love him with all my heart but at 9 years old I am still wiping his bum and he communicates at the level of a 4 year old. He was non verbal until 6. At the end of the day, at 1am when the baby has finally gone down for the night, I dread going to bed, because I can't believe the day is already over and it is almost time to wake up and to it all over again. I had been going so well... It has been 2-3 years since I last went to therapy for depression. I left my toxic marriage, got remarried, had a baby and the highs are high but the lows sure are low and part of me sometimes misses being a single mum. Thought I had the fairy tale ending and was happy in life, in my marriage, smashing it at uni getting HDs in most of my units. To discover major porn addiction and lies from my husband as well as other issues. I hate family dinners. Sit there with my mouth shut because I only want his family to ever see the best in him and I don't want to be the one to say something that would tarnish their view of him. He tells his mum our fights and it bothers me. She only knows one side to the story/will defend him anyways because he is her son. He can't understand why I now dislike family dinners when I feel like I am putting a fake smile on and sitting in the lions den...out of characters

Clare23 I’m struggling with lock down and home schooling
  • replies: 3

I have had depression and anxiety on and off for most of my life. I speak with a psychologist weekly, take anti-depressants. Before Corona, I had been doing pretty well. I had a lot of things that I enjoyed or was looking forward to in life. Now I’m ... View more

I have had depression and anxiety on and off for most of my life. I speak with a psychologist weekly, take anti-depressants. Before Corona, I had been doing pretty well. I had a lot of things that I enjoyed or was looking forward to in life. Now I’m so depressed again. I’m not coping with home schooling or even just having the kids at home. I miss all the things I used to enjoy, like meeting up with friends, going out for dinner, going to the shops. My kids are given so much work and my son fights doing home school. I have no time or mental energy to do anything else in the house. My husband is helping as much as he can with the home school at the moment. A huge point of contention between us is that he wants us to continue lockdown until there is a vaccine or cure for covid 19. Things are meant to be opening back up a bit to see friends and family. He said we can see our parents only because we can trust they are careful outside. He doesn’t want me to meet with friends or let our kids see their friends. He doesn’t want the kids to go back to school while covid19 is still around. I just feel so hopeless. I just want some normalcy back.

Stressed Guy Just exhausted
  • replies: 4

Hey everyone, I've been doing a lot of thinking about everything lately. My life, this pandemic, my past, present and future and I just wanted to say I'm disappointed in myself. I'm exhausted with my depression, anxiety and ocd. Apart from clearing o... View more

Hey everyone, I've been doing a lot of thinking about everything lately. My life, this pandemic, my past, present and future and I just wanted to say I'm disappointed in myself. I'm exhausted with my depression, anxiety and ocd. Apart from clearing out stuff from the house (So my parents and I can sell our house and move) as well as studying a diploma of travel and tourism online I don't do much else. I want to read more, watch more movies, maybe play more video games but I can't be bothered too. I sometimes cry for a couple of hours at night about negative statements people have said to me in the past and my sleeping is all over the place. I just feel like I've wasted my 20s and some of my best years in general. I'm 26 and haven't gotten my act together and haven't enjoyed a lot of things in life. Damn, I feel old. Another thing is before this pandemic started is that I came up with a 5 year plan that I thought would be achievable. After all of this I'm not so sure about anything anymore. One of my goals is to publish some short stories and possibly become a screenwriter in the future (I'm studying a Bachelor of Arts next year) but I don't know how to go about making that happen. To be fair it's probably a 10-15 year plan for that one but it feels like a pipe dream that's never going to happen along with some of my 5 year goals like making friends, having a girlfriend or getting a job. Maybe I'm not meant to make friends, get a girlfriend or be happy. I just seem to piss a lot of people off and more importantly I piss myself off. I continually think " What is wrong with me?" and when people don't like me I blame myself constantly. I was also rejected at tafe by a girl last year who I was starting to trust along with a couple of other people too. Now I don't trust anyone and just assume if people are nice to me that they want help with something (That's a whole other story I'm not going to get into) It feels tiring to be me (Even before this pandemic started) I also want to add that maybe it's okay if I'm not happy. I have pretty low self esteem and am socially inept so it feels like I never quite fit in and whether that continues or not I just don't know. I have thought about suicide but to be honest I would never kill myself. Sometimes my brain and heart just hurt a lot I guess when I think about all of this. Thanks for reading, John

Joel76 Help
  • replies: 1

there is something wrong with me and no one will tell me what it is. If someone would just tell me then maybe I could fix it. I can change more I can fix me I just need to know what others see when they look at me..

there is something wrong with me and no one will tell me what it is. If someone would just tell me then maybe I could fix it. I can change more I can fix me I just need to know what others see when they look at me..

Irish_J Just can not get over my ex. Thoughts are ruining my life
  • replies: 4

Title says it all really Feel obsessed over my ex. We were together just over 2 years. Broke up March 2019. 6 weeks later she was in a new relationship. I'm still recovering from it. Just can't get past the pain.

Title says it all really Feel obsessed over my ex. We were together just over 2 years. Broke up March 2019. 6 weeks later she was in a new relationship. I'm still recovering from it. Just can't get past the pain.

Luke2020 I feel as tho I hate my wife and kids
  • replies: 2

We're do I begin to explain this my depression has gotten worse and now I feel as tho I hate my family and they would be better off without me I am seeing a psychologist I have ha my medication changed on monday I don't know what to do anymore I am a... View more

We're do I begin to explain this my depression has gotten worse and now I feel as tho I hate my family and they would be better off without me I am seeing a psychologist I have ha my medication changed on monday I don't know what to do anymore I am at with end with all of it

Peacefuldove Bad Phycologist-vent!
  • replies: 15

Hi everyone, So I know that due to everything that's going on in the world right now, I know that there is probably a lot worse and far off going on right now. But this is something that I have been wanting to discuss for a while now, and something t... View more

Hi everyone, So I know that due to everything that's going on in the world right now, I know that there is probably a lot worse and far off going on right now. But this is something that I have been wanting to discuss for a while now, and something that I feel like not many people talk about. So a few months ago I started seeing a phycologist that my sister had recommended to me. I've had severe depression years now but it had mainly triggered again, after the first guy who I fell for completely started ignoring me, so basically I had felt like trash at the time and I had lost two really close friends of mine at the time. after that the first phycologist I ever saw seemed like she was always in a hurry, the next one I saw were nice but more felt like I was in a job interview, the one after that seemed to more forget things that I would tell her. so for a while I had felt like giving up and not bothering for a while and had just managed to cure a lot of things myself. I was so focused now on other things, getting my life on track, stressful job etc, that boys weren't even on my mind and was more wanting to get my mental health on track. But then I had accidentally met someone as you do. To cut a long story short, we had connected straight away, had long conversations on the way to work, ended up asking me out, went really well, dropped me home, told me that he will see me in the usual spot that we meet up, talked a bit that night-then poof! Never heard from him again. So I just thought the normal thing, weren't actually nterested in me, just wanted one thing etc. But he had told me that night that he might have cancer, but he wouldn't talk about it and there were times when he had looked unwell. So a part of me thought that it was a lot to do with that, or if he was just completely ghosting me. But because he was genuinely really sick, and did not know what was going on I ended eventually confronting him as nervous as I was, asking him if he was okay, then I would be able to move on. I ended up telling my phycologist this story, because even my friend's and family who were just as pessimistic as me told me that I did the right thing. However my phycologist said a lot of rude things to me and came across really rude to me. I left the session feeling completely humiliated! I was just wondering if this sort of thing had ever happened to anyone or if anyone had a similar experience at all?? I was left for words and felt completely modified!!

Chris67 I think I have depression
  • replies: 9

For the last 7 months ive been experiencing depressive symptoms, for most days of the week my appetite has decreased I have been experiencing self deprecation, ive lost all will to do things in my life, my concentration has decreased, ive been hating... View more

For the last 7 months ive been experiencing depressive symptoms, for most days of the week my appetite has decreased I have been experiencing self deprecation, ive lost all will to do things in my life, my concentration has decreased, ive been hating myself, my mood has been more aggressive, ive been feeling hopeless and my sleep has been sporadic. Anyone have any idea on what I have?

Jasmine_R I fell sad when Mother’s Day comes around
  • replies: 8

I hate when Mother’s Day comes it makes me sad this day cos I don’t have a mum I’m close two at all cos I don’t speak or see my real mum at all and when I see people and their post on happy mothers days and I see people video of them and their mums j... View more

I hate when Mother’s Day comes it makes me sad this day cos I don’t have a mum I’m close two at all cos I don’t speak or see my real mum at all and when I see people and their post on happy mothers days and I see people video of them and their mums just makes me sad cos I wish I had that I wish I could have a nice mum I just wanted to get this of my chest

Valar_Morghulis Why Depression a taboo!
  • replies: 13

Hi everyone, It's been months that I'm going through depression and anxiety. It first happened to me few years back. Somehow fought it and came out of it slowly. But it came back with more power. Every time when I go through this phase I isolate from... View more

Hi everyone, It's been months that I'm going through depression and anxiety. It first happened to me few years back. Somehow fought it and came out of it slowly. But it came back with more power. Every time when I go through this phase I isolate from everything that I love, isolate me from friends. Because its the experiences I had made me like this. So the inner me doesn't wanna face that again. For me, the hardest part of depression is accepting that I'm going through depression and I can't work or act like normal days. Because I grew up in a world where the word 'depression' 'anxiety' is something people doesn't want to talk about. Sometimes I accept I'm having depression and I will get out of this one day and be more strong. And not everyone is lucky enough to go through this. One positive thing I could get from this phase I can totally relate to what another person facing depression is going through. Here I am trying the find one single positive thing desperately and people around me laughing at me. I know its hard to understand what I'm going through. But can you at least stop judging something you don't know? When I took the courage to accept my mental state, I have people around me calling me liar and someone who is seeking attention. I shut down myself from everything and I was isolating myself from everything and what I got is 'LIAR'. And I'm starting to doubting myself whether I made all this up. No, I didn't. I do have some traumatic events in my life. Maybe it's silly for others, But I couldn't take it. Because I always wished a simple world where I can feel secure, I can be myself. No there is no such world! I'm hoping for a world where Depression is not a taboo. And someone won't laugh at me when I tell them I'm going through depression! I have been seeing nightmares. But these days the biggest nightmare is the friend who laughed at me when I said him I'm having depression and people calling me a liar. Can someone give me a break? I'm not able to solve my real problem in the midst of these!! Best Black Sheep